Atascadero is latest city to get an election ultimatum. Switch to districts — or else
The City of Atascadero is the latest government agency in San Luis Obispo County to receive a letter demanding it change how it elects council members because its current, at-large method allegedly violates the California Voting Rights Act.
The Dec. 28, 2021, letter from attorney Robert Goodman, released by the city on Wednesday, states that the Atascadero City Council has 45 days to introduce a resolution to transition to district elections, which would divide the city into zones with council members representing particular areas.
If the city does not move to adopt district elections, legal action will be taken against it in California Superior Court, according to the letter.
If Atascadero moves to adopt district elections within 45 days, Goodman wrote, the legal costs of the transition are capped at $30,000, but if the case were to move to litigation, there will be no cap on costs.
“District elections are sweeping California,” Goodman said in the letter. “No government jurisdiction in the state of which this office is aware has successfully defended a complaint alleging a violation of the CVRA (California Voting Rights Act).”
Goodman filed this lawsuit on behalf of Atascadero resident and registered voter Veronica Ulloa-Nevarez, who is part of a protected voting class, according to the letter.
The letter was submitted to the city along with a report about establishing district elections in Atascadero.
In the introduction to the report, Goodman says there’s a disparity in representation on the Atascadero City Council.
Roughly 31% of the population living in the Atascadero is a member of protected classes, he said in the report.
However, no member of a protected class has run for a seat on the City Council of the City of Atascadero or been elected to the council since 2006, the report said.
“The at-large method of election to the Atascadero City Council impairs the ability of members of protected classes to elect candidates of their choice and their ability to influence the outcomes of elections,” the report said. “Therefore, district elections must be instituted in the City of Atascadero.”
Thirteen government agencies in San Luis Obispo County have transitioned to district elections, including the County Board of Supervisors, nearby City of Paso Robles and the Atascadero Unified School District, the report said.
Terrie Banish, deputy city manager, said the city was unable to comment on anything beyond the news release at this time.
This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM.
